NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the resources present in continental shelves and reasons for it as well as to trace the bottom relief of India ocean.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by briefly mentioning about relief of the ocean floor and its divisions.
Body:
First, mention certain figures/stats regarding the economic resources of continental shelves with examples.
Next, discuss in detail the reasons for high productivity of the continental shelves like high nutrient loads, vertical stability and shallowness etc.
Next, trace the bottom relief features of India ocean.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising the overall economic importance of continental shelves.
Introduction
Water covers 70% of the earth’s surface in which only 3% are fresh water (Of this, 2% is in polar ice caps and only 1% is usable water). Oceans make up around 67 percent of the Earth’s surface. The relief features of the oceans are quite different from the continental features because the Oceanic crust is less than 60-70- million years old whereas continental features are of Proterozoic age which is over 1 billion years old. The Oceanic relief features are in the form of mountains, basins, plateaus, ridges, canyons and trenches beneath the ocean water. These forms are called Submarine Relief.
Body
Factors that make continental shelves one of the highly productive ecosystems:
- The continental shelf is geologically defined as the submerged prolongation of the land mass of the coastal State, consisting of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, slope, and rise. It does not include the deep ocean floor.
- Despite their small size in both areal extent and volume, the waters over continental shelves are usually rich in nutrients, which in turn make them among the most biologically productive areas of the oceans.
- Water depth over the continental shelves averages about 60 meters (200 feet). Sunlight penetrates the shallow waters, and many kinds of organisms flourish—from microscopic shrimp to giant seaweed called kelp. Ocean currents and runoff from rivers bring nutrients to organisms that live on continental shelves.
- Plants and algae make continental shelves rich feeding grounds for sea creatures.
- Accordingly, about 90% of the world’s fisheries production is harvested over the continental shelves.
- One of the reasons for this higher productivity is the increased nutrient loads via runoff from the continental landmasses (mostly by rivers), however many shelf areas receive significant nutrients from upwelling of deeper ocean waters.
- Continental shelf waters also tend to have food chains with fewer trophic levels, and on average support larger fish.
Ocean relief is largely due to tectonic, volcanic, erosional and depositional processes and their interactions. Ocean relief features are divided into major and minor relief features.
Major Ocean Relief Features: There are four major divisions in the ocean relief
- Continental shelf
- There is no clear or well-defined line separating oceans from continents.
- Infact, continents do not end abruptly at shoreline.
- They slope seaward from the coast to a point where the slope becomes very steep.
- The shallow submerged extension of continent is called the continental shelf.
- The depth of this shallow sea water over the continental shelf ranges between 120 to 370 metres.
- The width of the continental shelf varies greatly ranging between a few kilometres to more than 100 kilometres.
- Continental slope & Continental rise
- The continuously sloping portion of the continental margin, seaward of the continental shelf and extending down to the deep-sea floor of the abyssal plain, is known as continental slope.
- It is characterized by gradients of 2.5 degrees.
- It extends between the depth of 180 to 3600 metres.
- In some places, for example, off the shore of Philippines, the continental slope extends to a great depth.
- Continental slopes, mainly due to their steepness and increasing distance from the land have very little deposits of sediments on them.
- Sea life is also far less here than on the shelf.
- Along the base of the continental slope is a deposit of sediments. This belt of sedimentary deposits form the continental rise.
- In some regions the rise is very narrow but in others it may extend up to 600 km in width.
- Deep Sea Plain or Abyssal plain
- Abyssal plains are extremely flat and featureless plains of the deep ocean floor.
- In fact, the abyssal plains are likely the most level areas on the earth.
- Abyssal plains covering a major portion of ocean floor between the depth of 3000m to 6000m.
- They were once regarded as featureless plains but modem devices have shown that they are as irregular as the continental plain or surface.
- They have extensive submarine plateaus, hills, guyots and seamounts.
- The floor of the abyssal plain is covered by sediments.
- Ocean deeps
- The ocean deeps are the deepest part of the ocean.
- They are long, narrow, steep sided and flat-floored depressions on the ocean floor.
- They are generally called submarine trenches.
Conclusion
The Continental Shelf of the Indian Ocean is economically very significant for people. Indian Ocean is an “ocean of economic opportunities” for India. The security threats posed by State and non-state actors are impeding the progress. The Government initiatives like SAGAR, IORA, Sagarmala etc. should ensure that the fruits of Blue Economy is well reaped.
Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the vertical and latitudinal distribution of temperature in ocean waters along with factors responsible for such a distribution.
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by mentioning that temperature varies across the oceans of the world.
Body:
Write about the factors responsible – The study of temperature of the oceans is important for studying the movement of large volumes of water, distribution of marine organisms, other properties such as salinity. This distribution pattern of temperature of ocean water can be studied through two ways – vertical and latitudinal distribution.
Enumerate the factors responsible for the above distribution. Use appropriate examples wherever necessary
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Ocean Temperature is a measure of the energy due to the motion of molecules in the ocean. The temperature of the oceanic water is important for marine organisms including plants (phytoplanktons) and animals (zooplanktons). The temperature of sea water also affects the climate of coastal lands and plants and animals therein. The study of both, surface and subsurface temperature of sea water is significant.
Body
Various factors that are responsible for varying vertical and latitudinal distribution of temperature of the oceans
Latitudes:
- The temperature of surface water decreases from equator towards the poles because the sun’s rays become more and more slanting and thus the amount of insolation decreases poleward accordingly.
- The temperature of surface water between 40°N and 40°S is lower than air temperature but it becomes higher than air temperature between 40th latitude and the poles in both the hemispheres.
Unequal distribution of land and water:
- The temperature of ocean water varies in the northern and the southern hemispheres because of dominance of land in the former and water in the latter.
- The oceans in the northern hemisphere receive more heat due to their contact with larger extent of land than their counterparts in the southern hemisphere and thus the temperature of surface water is comparatively higher in the former than the latter.
- The isotherms are not regular and do not follow latitudes in the northern hemisphere because of the existence of both warm and cold land- masses whereas they (isotherms) are regular and follow latitudes in the southern hemisphere because of the dominance of water.
- The temperature in the enclosed seas in low latitudes becomes higher because of the influence of surrounding land areas than the open seas e.g., the average annual temperature of surface water at the equator is 26.7°C (80°F) whereas it is 37.8°C (100°F) in the Red Sea and 34.4°C (94°F) in the Persian Gulf.
Prevailing wind:
- Wind direction largely affects the distribution of temperature of ocean water.
- The winds blowing from the land towards the oceans and seas (e.g., offshore winds) drive warm surface water away from the coast resulting into upwelling of cold bottom water from below.
- Thus, the replacement of warm water by cold water introduces longitudinal variation in temperature.
- Contrary to this, the onshore winds pile up warm water near the coast and thus raise the temperature.
- For example, trade winds cause low temperature (in the tropics along the eastern margins of the oceans or the western coastal regions of the continents) because they blow from the land towards the oceans whereas these trade winds raise the temperature in the western margins of the oceans or the eastern coastal areas of the continents because of their onshore position.
- Similarly, the eastern margins of the oceans in the middle latitudes (western coasts of Europe and North America) have relatively higher temperature than the western margins of the oceans because of the onshore position of the westerlies.
Ocean currents:
- Surface temperatures of the oceans are controlled by warm and cold currents.
- Warm currents raise the temperature of the affected areas whereas cool currents lower down the temperature.
- For example, the Gulf Stream raises the temperature near the eastern coasts of N. America and the western coasts of Europe.
- Kuro Shio drives warm water away from the eastern coast of Asia and raises the temperature near Alaska.
- Labrador cool current lowers down the temperature near north-east coast of N. America.
- Similarly, the temperature of the eastern coast of Siberia becomes low due to Kurile cool current.
- Warm currents raise the temperature more in the northern hemisphere than in the southern hemisphere which is apparent from the fact that the 5°C isotherm reaches 70° latitude in the northern Atlantic Ocean whereas it is extended up to only 50° latitude in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
- This is because of more dominant effects of the warm Brazil current in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Minor Factors:
(i) Submarine ridges
(ii) Local weather conditions like storms, cyclones, hurricanes, fog, cloudiness, evaporation and condensation, and
(iii) Location and shape of the sea.
Conclusion
The process of cooling and heating of ocean water is slower as compared to land as Sun rays penetrate more in water than land and water molecules diffuse the energy more quickly than land.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Indian Express
Why the question:
The refrain that standards of parliamentary functioning have taken a beating in recent years is not without merit. In terms of the time spent on deliberating legislation, the conduct of fruitful debates both in tone and tenor, and in the quality of discussion, the reliance and participation of expert opinion through the agency of standing and parliamentary committees besides other factors, parliamentary sessions have been found to be wanting.
Key Demand of the question:
Directive word:
Evaluate – When you are asked to evaluate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidence. You must appraise the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming an opinion here.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about the importance of parliamentary debates and discussion to our democracy.
Body:
Further elaborate how these debates and deliberations are enriching for our democracy. Cite examples to substantiate your points.
Next, evaluate the legislative process with respect of debates and discussions. Mention hasty passage of bills, frequent litigations, lack of expertise, bypassing Rajya Sabha, lack of referral to parliamentary committees etc.
Mention the measures that are needed to remedy this situation.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
The refrain that standards of parliamentary functioning have taken a beating in recent years is not without merit. In terms of the time spent on deliberating legislation, the conduct of fruitful debates both in tone and tenor, and in the quality of discussion, the reliance and participation of expert opinion through the agency of standing and parliamentary committees besides other factors, parliamentary sessions have been found to be wanting.
Much of this deterioration is a consequence of representatives of political parties utilising Parliament more to showcase political spectacle than to use it as a forum for serious legislative functioning.
Body
Deteriorating parliamentary productivity in recent times
- Disruption has become the norm, with the Opposition seeking to use the debates as a ploy to gain publicity. This is a sad state of affairs as the ruling party with absolute majority is passing the bills without any adequate deliberations or discussions.
- The officials in charge of maintaining decorum and order meanwhile have chosen to take punitive actions in suspending 27 MPs, many for the entire monsoon session just for displaying placards, giving an impression that they would brook no protest from the Opposition, and in turn furthering its hostility towards the ruling party.
- This has been exacerbated by the ruling party’s stance on Opposition requests for a debate on key issues such as price rise.
- Disruptions May Help Ruling Party Evade Responsibility: The maximum number of disruptions have been found to take place in the Question Hour and the Zero Hour.
- While these disruptions are largely attributable to the behaviour of members of the opposition, they may also be a consequence of executive action.
- Lack of Dedicated Time For Unlisted Discussion: Disruptions also get triggered due to lack of adequate time for raising questions and objections in respect of matters that are not listed for discussion in a particular, or during a particular session.
Measures needed
- Code of Conduct: To curb disorder in Parliament there is a need for strict enforcement of code of conduct for MPs and MLAs.
- These ideas are not new. For example, the Lok Sabha has had a simple code of conduct for its MPs since 1952. Newer forms of protest led to the updating of these rules in 1989.
- The Lok Sabha Speaker should suspend MPs not following such codes and obstructing the Houses’ business.
- Increasing Number of Working Days: Recommended by the 2001 conference, there should be an increase in the working days of Parliament. It resolved that Parliament should meet for 110 days every year and state legislative assemblies for 90 days.
- In the United Kingdom, where Parliament meets over 100 days a year, opposition parties get 20 days on which they decide the agenda for discussion in Parliament. Canada also has a similar concept of opposition days.
- Democratic Participation: Not all disruptions in the Parliament are necessarily counter-productive. Thus, the government of the day needs to be more democratic and allow the opposition to put their ideas in free manner.
- Proposals in Individual Capacity:
- In 2019, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson mooted an idea of evolving a ‘Parliament Disruption Index’ to monitor disruptions in Parliament and state legislature.
- In the Lok Sabha, some members proposed automatic suspension of members who cause disruption and rush to the Well of the House.
- But the proposals are still in a nascent stage.
- Productivity Meter: The overall productivity of the session also can be studied and disseminated to the public on a weekly basis.
- For this, a “Productivity Meter” could be created which would take into consideration the number of hours that were wasted on disruptions and adjournments, and monitor the productivity of the day-to-day working of both Houses of Parliament.
Conclusion
A revocation of the suspensions and dialogue will go a long way in mending relations. As the farmers’ protests that raged on for more than a year showed, the lack of adequate parliamentary process in deliberating legislation of consequence can result in social conflict and a democratic deficit in outcomes. There are enough tools, mechanisms, structures and precedents in India’s parliamentary history that can be relied upon by the current set of legislators to bring back useful deliberation. Parliamentarians must realise that the bedrock of a functioning democracy is a flourishing legislature.
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India
Why the question:
Last week, RailFreight.Com reported that two 40-ft containers of wood laminate sheets crossed the Caspian Sea from Russia’s Astrakhan port, entered Iran’s Anzali port, continued their southward journey towards the Arabian Sea, entered the waters at Bandar Abbas and eventually reach Nhava Shiva port in Mumbai.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of INSTC for India.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Body:
In the first part, briefly write about INSTC and India’s role so far, its aims and objectives.
Next, write about the geopolitical importance of INSTC for India.
Next, write about the geoeconomically importance of INSTC for India.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is the ship, rail, and road route for moving freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia. It is a not a new concept. But the current INSTC project was initiated by Russia, India and Iran in September 2000 in St. Petersburg. The agreement was signed on 16th May 2002.
Body
About INSTC
- The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multi-modal connectivity project establish transport networks (ship, rail, and road route) for moving freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia.
- INSTC would enhance accessibility to the land locked central Asian nations.
- It is a not a new concept. This ancient route was used by European, Indian and many other foreign traders to reach out to the Central Asian markets. During the time of the Safavid dynasty, it is estimated that around 10,000 Indian traders were spread across the empire. (Safavids were one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Persia (modern Iran) from 1501 to 1736.)
- The current INSTC project was initiated by Russia, India and Iran in September 2000 in St. Petersburg.
- The modern day INSTC is a multi-modal transportation route linking Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and then onwards to northern Europe via St. Petersburg in Russia.
- The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road. The objective of the corridor is to increase trade connectivity between major cities such as Mumbai, Moscow, Tehran, Baku, Bandar Abbas, Astrakhan, Bandar Anzali and etc.
Importance of INSTC for India
- Geoeconomic importance
- Analysts predict by having improved transport connectivity between Russia, Central Asia, Iran and India, their respective bilateral trade volumes will increase. The Foreign Trade Policy of India, 2015-20, has highlighted the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in expanding India’s trade and investment links with Central Asia.
- The successful activation of the corridor will help connect India to Russia within 16-21 days at competitive freight rates leading to development of trade on the INSTC. At present we have to either use Rotterdam port or land route via China to reach Russia and Central Asia. These are long, expensive and time-consuming.
- It is also expected to eliminate usage of reefer containers for agro commodities and further support the supplies to Russia.
- A study conducted by the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India found the route is, “30% cheaper and 40% shorter than the current traditional route”.
- For India, we can have access to the lucrative markets of the Central Asia, by-passing the transit through Pakistan. Indian exports could potentially get a competitive advantage due to lower cost and less delivery time.
- Geopolitical importance
- It opens up a permanent alternative route for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, given the hurdles in the direct route through Pakistan.
- China and Pakistan are striving to increase their economic and trade cooperation through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar port, which both are part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- Part of Indo-Pacific Strategy: Chabahar Port is a key element in India’s Indo-Pacific strategy that also includes Eurasia’s connection with the Indian Ocean Region.
Conclusion
India expressed its intent to include Chabahar port in the 13-nation International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that extends from India to Russia, and to expand INSTC membership by including Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Times of India , Insights on India
Why the question:
Taking lead in celebrating 2023 as ‘International Year of Millets’, India has planned to hold several programmes within the country and abroad to popularize millets. The government’s programmes will revolve around ‘seven sutras’ ( seven themes) including measures on how to promote these climate-resilient and less water consuming coarse cereals as a tool of sustainable agriculture.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about plethora of benefits offered by Millet production with respect to tackling climate change and food security.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning giving context that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
Body:
Mention about the low demand of water and soil fertility needs to cultivate millets and millets as a nutritional package with whole lot of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids etc. Also mention that millets also offer a significant cost advantage over maize as a feedstock for bio-ethanol production. Bring in the aspect of food security and ecological benefits.
Conclusion:
Conclude by saying millets are the way forward in the food consumption area as it addresses the twin challenge of both nutritional security as well as climate change.
Introduction
With nearly 60 percent of India’s cultivated area is rain-fed, the damage caused by climate change is huge in agriculture sector. In order to save the farmers from such calamities, climate smart agricultural practices are increasingly promoted by government and other stakeholders. Millets cultivation is one such practice which seems to be the answer to fighting climate change, poverty and malnutrition. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2023 the International Year of Millets, as proposed by India to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Body:
Millets – a core component in climate smart agriculture:
- Millets help in reducing the atmospheric CO2 and thus contribute in mitigating the climate change. They have a good ability to sequester carbon and so help climate adaptation, particularly the global projection of increased methane emission from rice fields.
- Being hardy crops, they can withstand extreme temperatures, floods and droughts.
- They also help mitigate the effects of climate change through their low carbon footprint of 3,218-kilogram equivalent of carbon dioxide per hectare, as compared to wheat and rice, with 3,968kg and 3,401kg, respectively, on the same measure.
- Most bio-ethanol in India is produced using sugar molasses and maize.
- However, a study conducted among farmers in Madhya Pradesh showed that bio-ethanol can be created using sorghum (jowar) and pearl millet (bajra), and that this fuel could bring down carbon emissions by about half.
- Millets can play a role in India’s sustainability policy interventions. Contemporary research developments have shed light on the influence of millets on energy optimization, climate resilience and ecosystem restoration.
Nutritional and food security benefits:
- Millets are rich source of nutrients. A regular consumption can help to overcome malnutrition among majority of our Indian population. Research has established the following nutritional contributions of millets;
- Millets are richer in calcium, iron, beta-carotene etc. than rice and wheat.
- Millets are rich in dietary fibre, which is negligible in rice. Jowar has 8 times more fibre, ragi has 40 times more calcium and bajra has 8 times more iron and 5 times more both riboflavin and folic acid than rice.9
- Millets help check diabetes, improves digestive system, reduces cancer risk and strengthen the immune system.
- With no gluten and low glycaemic index, millet diet is ideal for those with celiac diseases and diabetes.
- Millets contain high amounts of lecithin are useful for strengthening the nervous system.
- Millets are comparatively richer in minerals and fibres.
Way forward:
- As millets farming has been traditionally fitted within the multi cropping farming approach, it needs to be ensured that millets do not follow the monoculture route under the government extension programmes.
- Government should make provisions for incentives to encourage millets cultivation.
- Greater thrust must be given to value addition of the millets to increase demand among the urban consumers.
- Government and CSOs should work together to generate awareness about the benefits conferred by millets and their role in nutrition and carbon sequestration needs.
- Farm mechanisation should be equally prioritized to remove the drudgery associated with its traditional processing of millets.
Conclusion:
The value of millets is evident in their relevance to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of food security, nutrition and poverty eradication. Brimming with potential, millets can act as a vital cog in the country’s sustainable development wheel if backed by policies that promote their production, incentivize farmers and strengthen market linkages.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
A recent study published in Nature ISME Journal indicates that the plant species considered as invasive in non-native regions, use characteristics to survive and flourish that are different from the ones in their native regions.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the factors aiding invasive alien species and ways to tackle their spread.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by explaining the term invasive alien species.
Body:
First, write about the factors that ensure that to Invasive alien species survive in non-native areas.
Next, Explain the various threats posed by them. Provide examples and present the scenario of harm posed by invasive species in India – threaten cultivable land and wildlife habitats alike, may lead to the conversion of marshy wetlands into dry land. E.g.: water hyacinth, spread into the forests through the corridors created by landslides, affect the soil and destroy the microhabitat of that area
Next, write about the steps that are needed to tackle their spread.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health. In particular, they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species – through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens – and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions. Examples: Needle Bush, Goat weed, Prickly Poppy, Black Mimosa.
Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known (CBD, 2006).
Body
Factors leading to Invasive alien species thriving in non-native areas
Intentional Causes of Invasive Species Introduction: Intentional causes are listed below with a brief description.
- Controlling Pests:Exotic species are introduced in an area to control pests that are ruining the standing crops.
- Import Pets: Some people import various kinds of animals and keep them as pets. These imported animals are nonnative and often considered alien species.
- Trading Alien Species:This point represents the economic situation. People are intentionally involved in the international trade of animals, plant species for economic benefits.
Unintentional Causes of Invasive Species Introduction: Unintentional causes also include human activities.
- Natural Migration:This is also included among many other reasons. Invasive species migrate to new environments where they don’t have competitors/predators.
- International Trade of Goods:Trading goods inside or outside has also resulted in invasive species introduction.
- Transportation Vehicles: Transportation vehicles carry invasive species such as ships. They carry aquatic invasive species to new environments.
- Soil microbial activity Scientists have found that soil microbial activity plays an important role in making invasive species flourish in non-native regions.
- A recent study published in NatureISME Journal indicates that the plant species considered as invasive in non-native regions, use characteristics to survive and flourish that are different from the ones in their native regions.
Measures to control IAS
- The most cost-effective measure to address the impacts from IAS is to prevent their introduction.
- This can be achieved by establishing effective and well-resourced biosecurity measures to manage priority pathways of introduction, supported by early warning systems and rapid eradication capacity.
- Control, containment and – where feasible – eradication, also need to be undertaken to mitigate the impacts from established IAS, including those whose impacts are likely to increase due to climate change.
- It is essential that a cross-sectoral approach is taken in IAS prevention and management measures. This needs to include the environment, human health, agriculture, fisheries, customs and transport government departments, along with key private sector bodies and civil society.
- Governments, donors and agencies that fund and implement projects, including projects supporting the SDGs, must ensure that current and potential impacts of IAS are understood so that relevant prevention and management measures can be incorporated into projects.
Conclusion
Ecosystems need to be prioritized according to their vulnerability to climate change and IAS, making it possible to establish measures that will prevent IAS introduction. This should include establishing effective biosecurity measures to manage priority pathways of introduction, supported by early warning and rapid eradication to tackle alien species before they become invasive.
General Studies – 4
Topic: moral and political attitudes.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give a simple elaboration on the concept of public morality.
Body:
Write about aspects such as what is accepted within the realms of public morality, is it static and indestructible by quoting few examples. Influence of public morality on legislations and the changes with time such as legalisation of same-sex marriage etc.
Next, write about the various factors affecting public morality.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating that society evolves with time and thus the public morality also takes its shape, however certain historically sustainable values must be preserved as well.
Introduction
A morality is a system of principles and values concerning people’s behaviour, which is generally accepted by a society or by a particular group of people. Public morality refers to moral and ethical standards enforced in a society, by law or police work or social pressure, and applied to public life, to the content of the media, and to conduct in public places.
Body
Public morality is concerned with collective obligations, and is generally based on the notion of consequentialism. For instance, Public morality often means regulation of sexual matters, including prostitution and homosexuality, but also matters of dress and nudity, pornography, acceptability in social terms of cohabitation before marriage, and the protection of children.
It is a main justification for censorship; it can lead to campaigns against profanity, and so be at odds with freedom of speech. Gambling is generally controlled: casinos have been considered much more of a threat than large-scale lotteries or football pools. Public drunkenness is quite unacceptable in some societies, and legal control of consumption of alcohol is often justified in terms of public morality, just as much as for medical reasons or to limit alcohol-related crime.
Abortion is sometimes treated as an aspect of public morality, even if it is legally defined, regulated by medical professionals, and almost entirely hidden from public view. AIDS as a health policy issue is linked to public morality in a complicated manner.
Views on public morality do change over time. Public views on which things are acceptable often move towards wider tolerance.
Various factors affecting Public morality
- Social & Religious mores. Eg. Animal slaughter still continues
- Inertial of the People to change their belief & attitude. Eg.: attitude towards homosexuality, transgenders etc.
- Lack of Scientific temper. E.g: a genetically impaired person is seen as a God’s curse
- Poor will of legislators and elected.
- Ineffective implementation of law mechanism
- Lack of ethical education
Conclusion
Public morality has been on a decline due to a host of factors such as legal, corruption, malpractices, cultural etc. Citizens in a political community must be bound together neither by feelings nor by self-interest but by a commitment to common values discovered by public reason — values such as political freedom, solidarity, shared traditions and cultural heritage.
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